Everything German Shepherd Book

Introduction

THE GERMAN SHEPHERD IS A WIDELY LOVED and cherished breed. This dog has many wonderful traits that draw you in, but if you don’t know much about shepherds, you may be in for a surprise. When a person purchases a shepherd without knowing the ins and outs of the breed, the experience is often an unpleasant one. Most shepherds are not bad dogs; they can be perfectly delightful companions. However, unless you know what makes a shepherd a shepherd, you may mistake certain behaviors for flaws or problems.

The German shepherd is definitely not the dog for everyone. This breed requires a lot of time and effort, particularly during the dog’s first three years of life. Daily training, handling, and extensive socialization with all kinds of people and dogs are not optional; these are mandatory if you are to succeed with this breed.

However, shepherds do make outstanding companions, competitors, and family pets when raised by those who understand the breed. The owner who recognizes this dog’s need for exercise, training, and mental stimulation is well equipped to care for a shepherd. This owner will experience all the intelligence, loyalty, and undying devotion this breed has to offer.

German shepherds that aren’t given an outlet for their energy, however, can become destructive. The owner of a shepherd must always be attentive to prevent the development of this trait. This dog also needs an owner who is willing to work on socializing her with all kinds of people and dogs and continue this training throughout the dog’s life. This is a breed that can regress or become less outgoing and trusting if she is not constantly out and about, in the company of others.

This breed also requires quite a bit of training. Training not only keeps a shepherd mentally stimulated and makes a large, strong dog manageable, it also helps serve as a gentle daily reminder as to who is the leader in the dog-human relationship.

When selecting a shepherd, your primary concern is to choose a dog with an outstanding temperament. It’s hard to mold a puppy into the adult dog you want unless you begin with a puppy with the potential to be a well-tempered dog. Due to the German shepherd’s rapid rise in popularity decades ago, as well as his current position as one of the most popular breeds in the country, these dogs have suffered at the hands of breeders who are only out to capitalize on this popularity. Every year, many German shepherd puppies are bred only for looks and, thus, end up with some strange temperaments.

Poorly bred shepherds also tend to suffer from all kinds of health problems. So even if you do find a German shepherd with a nice temperament, the dog might still come to suffer from illnesses that require expensive treatment. Veterinary medicine is wonderful, but it can only do so much.

These drawbacks may seem daunting, but they are easily overcome. This book will help you learn about this beloved breed, guide you in your research, and show you what to look for in a breeder and a shepherd. With some information, time, and patience, you’ll be ready to enjoy years of fun with your new friend.

CHAPTER

An International Hero

THE GERMAN SHEPHERD IS RECOGNIZED world-wide for his remarkable courage, loyalty, and ability to work in virtually any situation with intelligence and an unparalleled eagerness to please. However, this breed is more than an outstanding working dog; he is also a treasured family pet and companion.

Historic Herder

The German shepherd is descended from the best herding dogs found in Germany. As a result, the progenitors of today’s German shepherd were found in a variety of colors: white, sable, tan and black, solid black, and brindle. The coat type also varied from short- to longhaired, and there were even wirehaired dogs. Some dogs’ ears stood erect; other dogs’ ears may have flopped over. Some shepherd dogs held their tails low; others had tails curling over their backs.

Centuries ago, it didn’t matter what the shepherd looked like, as long as he had the instincts and drive to perform his herding job. Of course, the German shepherd varied from other herding breeds. He was not only asked to tend the sheep but also protect them from wolves, bears, and enterprising humans.

The shepherd’s job as a tender involved keeping large flocks of sheep (sometimes more than 100 animals) contained on the owner’s grazing land. Tending differs from other forms of herding. The dog essentially circles the flock to keep it contained and moves the flock forward as the sheepherder might direct. With few, if any, fences erected in Germany before the end of the nineteenth century, herding dogs with tending capabilities were critically important.

Though the ancestors of the German shepherd are often referred to as German shepherds, the purebred form of this dog you recognize today did not evolve until the late 1800s.

In the barnyard, the German shepherds were called upon to help with small groups of sheep, separating and holding them as needed for medical attention, sheering, and other procedures. Once these chores were completed, the shepherd was often directed to gather the sheep and move them down narrow roads or through towns toward the market. The early canine shepherds of Germany truly were a versatile breed, performing chores that several specialized herding breeds (and livestock guardian breeds) were used for in other countries.

But the shepherd’s position as sheep tender would not last forever. As the world changed, so did this breed. Near the end of the nineteenth century, when fences were erected and rail travel became an efficient way to transport livestock, herding dogs were no longer needed in great numbers. Though some breeds of herding dogs vanished, Germans recognized that, in addition to its extraordinary herding abilities, the German shepherd had great potential to do other kinds of work.

At this time, there were three different types of shepherds that appeared in Germany, each associated with a different region. Shepherds from Wurttemberg appeared in a variety of colors and had beautiful tails that were carried lower, as opposed to curling over the dogs’ backs. Shepherds from the Thuringia region did not appear in the variety of colors that the Wurttemberg dogs did; rather, they were predominantly wolf gray. The Thuringia shepherds were distinctive because they had consistently erect, well-placed ears. The third group of shepherds, from Swabia, was mostly noted for its herding characteristics, which translated into ability to navigate difficult terrain. This shepherd had great agility, endurance, strength, and speed.

Herding breeds were sometimes considered for positions as police and military dogs during the late 1800s and early 1900s. In Germany, one of the favored breeds for this work was the smooth collie.

Max von Stephanitz—now often referred to as the father of the German shepherd breed—worked with other breeders to develop a purebred dog with the best qualities from the three German shepherd varieties. In just ten years, from 1889 to 1899, von Stephanitz and Germany’s shepherd breeders were able to create a true purebred—one that appeared primarily within the set breed standards without any extreme variations.

In 1899, von Stephanitz founded the Verein Für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV), Germany’s German shepherd club. That same year, the SV approved a breed standard, and the world’s oldest German shepherd registry was opened.

War Dog

Von Stephanitz, a captain in the German army’s cavalry, felt that the versatile German shepherd had great potential as a police dog as well as a war dog. He was right. The German shepherd’s history as both a military and police dog is exemplary. The breed’s skills and accomplishments have set the standard for all other working breeds for more than a century.

Prussian Service

Impressed by work performed by police dogs in England (Airedales), the Imperial Prussian Army subsidized the formation of training clubs to develop top-notch war dogs. A wide range of dog breeds were being used at the time, including gun dogs, poodles, Airedales, farm collies (called smooth collies today), Dobermans, and German shepherds. The dogs were trained as sentries, messengers, and medic dogs, also known as Red Cross dogs, comfort dogs, or Sanitätshunde.

Medic dogs were trained to pull off the Bringsel, a sort of short leash that was part of the Prussian uniform, from a wounded soldier and bring it to a medic. The dog then led the medic to the soldier. While the soldier was being treated, the medic dog would comfort the injured—hence, the name comfort dogs.

German shepherds were so good at the varied work they were required to perform that in 1887, General von Goltz supposedly recommended discontinuing the use of all other breeds. However, his recommendation was not enacted.

World War I

The German army began World War I with 6,000 trained military dogs, many of which were German shepherds. Germany also called on loyal German shepherd owners and breeders to offer trained dogs for the war cause. By the end of the war, it is estimated that more than 30,000 dogs served in Germany’s army.

German shepherds were used during the war in many capacities. The dogs delivered messages to maintain communications and carried ammunition and medical supplies in backpacks. Shepherds also guarded and herded livestock that was kept near the front lines to feed Germany’s army. Perhaps the German shepherd’s most famous position was as a sentry (stationary alert) and a scout (moving alert) dog. The dogs didn’t bark but rather quietly whined or growled to alert their handlers that someone was approaching. German shepherds also patrolled prison camps to prevent prisoners from escaping or communicating with their comrades.

Both the French and British armies also trained and used German shepherds for military service, though in much smaller numbers than the German army. The dogs used by the Allies performed similarly to their German counterparts, and they did so with unswerving loyalty and courage.

Why was a British shepherd named Tommy awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French army?

While serving valiantly as a military K-9 in World War I, Tommy was wounded three times. He also narrowly survived being gassed after his handler, who was working for his Scottish regiment, didn’t get Tommy’s mask on quickly enough.

For the German shepherds that survived the war and the famine in Germany, there were more hurdles to overcome. Surviving shepherds were often sterile or gave birth to higher numbers of stillborns. Postwar veterinary care and access to medicine was virtually nonexistent. As a result, canine diseases ran rampant. Still, German shepherd breeders in Germany—and in the United States, England, and many European countries—worked to restore the breed.

World War II

The entire world witnessed the abilities of the German shepherd during World War I. Americans serving in the armed forces told incredible tales of the dogs they had seen; some even brought puppies and adult dogs home with them. As a result, the breed began rising in popularity as a canine companion in the United States. Despite having seen the magnificent work of the German shepherds, however, the United States military did not institute a war-dog program after World War I, and they entered World War II without experienced dog handlers, trainers, or an active training facility.

American Corporal Lee Duncan and other members of the 136th Aero Division were on a scouting mission when Duncan discovered five German shepherd puppies at an abandoned German war-dog station. Duncan’s pup, Rinty, became the unit’s mascot and, later, one of the country’s most beloved canine movie stars: Rin Tin Tin.

At the first rumblings of war in Germany, breeders were immediately concerned with the future of their prized shepherds. Some breeders discretely shipped their esteemed dogs out of the country. Breeders from urban areas—remembering the food shortage of the past war—tried to move their dogs to area farms where it was hoped that food would remain more plentiful. Others reportedly euthanized their dogs as an alternative to slow starvation.

Nevertheless, Nazi Germany began rebuilding its trained war-dog program under the guise of police-dog training. When World War II began, Germany was estimated to have more than 200,000 dogs trained and ready for military work, the majority of which were German shepherds.

Back in the United States, even after entering the war, military leaders weren’t convinced the military dog could be of any benefit in a war without trenches. In fact, it took an aggressive civilian group, Dogs for Defense, to prod the military into working with quality dogs (donated by owners and breeders) and train under experienced, volunteer dog trainers.

Within months, dogs were guarding civilian war plants and quartermaster depots. The experimental program soon expanded to include trained sentry, patrol, messenger, and mine-detection dogs.

The Marine Devil Dogs of World War II are often remembered as Doberman pinschers; however, three German shepherds were members of the First Marine Dog Platoon. In fact, a large male German shepherd in this platoon, Caesar, carried the first war-dog message in a conflict in the Pacific.

The United States initially used more than thirty breeds for military work, but by the fall of 1942, the list was pared down to seven breeds, with the German shepherd a number-one choice. One service branch, the coast guard, used only female German shepherds on their beach patrols.

The tasks that the German shepherd was asked to perform during World War II were very similar to those assigned in World War I. There were a few unusual positions, such as the British para pups—military dogs that were trained to parachute with England’s airborne army and SAS units. The dogs also helped the soldiers detect the enemy while working behind enemy lines.

One shepherd, Brian, was attached to a British parachute battalion that landed in Normandy. Later, Great Britain awarded Brian the Dickin Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty. Brian also became a fully qualified paratrooper based on his number of successful jumps.

The German shepherd’s name has changed many times throughout the centuries around the world. For example, during World War II, the German shepherd was referred to as the Alsatian Wolf Dog in England and as the Shepherd Dog in the United States.

Though the German shepherd served valiantly on both sides during World War II, the massive loss of canine life in Germany was devastating. Fortunately, those who loved these dogs showed the same courage, ingenuity, and tenacity as their beloved breed. German breeders, as well as those in Great Britain, other parts of Europe, and the United States, once again helped the German shepherd rise above adversity.

Post–World War II

After hostilities ceased, the American military downsized its military dog program and found itself with thousands of war dogs without jobs. The dogs were shipped back to the United States and returned to their original owners. If the owners were deceased, the reactivated Dogs for Defense assisted in placing the dogs in homes. Dogs for Defense received more than 17,000 requests to adopt roughly 3,000 homeless war dogs. Of all those placed in homes, only four were reportedly returned due to inappropriate behavior.

In 1951, when aggression broke out in Korea, U.S. scout-dog platoons were called into action. The dogs, primarily German shepherds, were extremely successful. One shepherd, York, was given a distinguished service award for performing 148 combat patrols.

From 1960 to 1975, German shepherds served in the U.S. military, primarily as patrol and sentry dogs. In 1965, the first military dogs and handlers were sent to Vietnam. Five years later, when American troops were returning home, military dog handlers were told that their dogs—who had served so valiantly beside them—could not return. It is estimated that the number of dogs left in Vietnam numbered more than 1,000, with fewer than 120 dogs making it back to the states. (The U.S. Marine Corps did find ways to bring back all their dogs.)

The forced abandonment of dogs in Vietnam so affected dog handlers that they banded together to prevent this from happening again. Today, no dog is left behind, and rather than euthanizing dogs once they are too old to serve, the military is working to place these valuable dogs with experienced dog handlers and their families.

Today’s military dog is multifaceted. Some German shepherds are trained as patrol dogs, whereas others work primarily as narcotics and/or explosives detection dogs. Due to the breed’s versatility and ability to understand the commands and body language of several different handlers, the German shepherd will likely remain one of the military’s chief resources.

Police K-9 and Service Dog

The German shepherd has reigned as the top choice in the United States for K-9 police work for more than a half a century. As a police dog, the German shepherd is often trained for patrol work, which can include such skills as tracking suspects, finding lost people, checking buildings for occupants, and chasing down and holding a criminal or suspect.

Though the public’s perception of a police K-9 is often one of a German shepherd gnashing his teeth against a side window of a police patrol car, the typical K-9 is usually very friendly with people. Police dogs go home each day with their handlers, easily making the transition from working dog to family dog.

As police K-9s, German shepherds are often trained to detect narcotics and/or explosives. In the role of detection dog, the German shepherd is trained for either passive alerts (a sit or down, with the dog indicating the find by pointing at the area with its head and gaze) or an aggressive alert (scratching and barking at the location of the find). Explosives detection dogs use a passive alert, for obvious reasons, and narcotics detection dogs may use either a passive or an aggressive alert.

In addition to the police, German shepherds serve many government agencies, such as the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. State Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, National Transportation Safety Board, federal penitentiaries, and the Washington Park Police.

German shepherds have also been (and continue to be) incredible service dogs. During World War I, many soldiers lost their vision through injuries from shrapnel, grenades, or gunfire, as well as exposure to poisonous gases. After the war, Germany trained its shepherds to serve as guide dogs for injured veterans—an idea that was quickly taken up by the United States.

Today, German shepherds are employed in many different areas of service. They are used as hearing dogs for the deaf (alerting their handlers to specific sounds), mobility assistance dogs (helping the handler negotiate obstacles while in a wheelchair), seizure alert dogs (detecting oncoming seizures), service dogs (assisting the handler in performing everyday tasks, such as picking up dropped pencils, credit cards, etc.), and therapy dogs (assisting patients to improve or maintain cognitive or physical functioning in a wide range of hospital, long-term care, physical therapy, psychiatric, and educational settings).

Additionally, the German shepherd is perhaps one of the most talented search and rescue (SAR) breeds to serve the community. Trained for wilderness and urban life rescues, as well as cadaver searches, the German shepherd has proven to be a focused and tireless worker for civilian volunteer SAR handlers, as well as firefighter, police, and other first-responder SAR handlers.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the German shepherd once again proved to be one of this country’s most valuable assets. Both civilian and public service agencies used German shepherds to search for survivors and remains, providing many families with desperately needed closure.

Without a doubt, the German shepherd will continue to be a top choice for service work and will most likely be a preferred candidate for emerging fields, such as psychiatric assistance, in the future.

Breed Clubs

Many different clubs have been formed over the past years to support one or more aspects of the German shepherd. Some clubs are geared toward sport dogs (Schutzhund, or as renamed in 2004, Vielseitigkeitspruefung für Gebrauchshunde [VPG], which means working dog sport). These clubs are focused on training for competitions that include tracking, obedience, and protection. Using play drives and positive reinforcement, they are trained to grab and hold the padded arm of the helper, or training assistant. For these dogs, the protection phase of Schutzhund competition is a game. If a person’s arm is not padded and the dog is ordered to attack that individual, the German shepherd is likely to do nothing except become very confused.

Other associations, such as the United States Police Canine Association and the Canadian Police Canine Association, are specifically for working K-9s. Working shepherds, those serving in the military, police, and other government agencies, require all the drives and characteristics that the sport shepherd possesses, and then some. Specifically, K-9s must possess a higher level of confidence than sport dogs to execute their training in totally unfamiliar scenarios, not just practice fields in which the testing setup is always the same. K-9s must be trustworthy and friendly in large crowds of people, but they must also be able to switch into protection mode at a signal from the handler or if the handler is attacked.

Verein Für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV)

In addition to serving as the oldest German shepherd registry in the world (started in 1899), the SV offers conformation shows, Schutzhund trials, and breed surveys, in which a dog is tested to see if she has the correct temperament and drive to work as a K-9.

German Shepherd Club of America

The German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA) is the U.S. parent club for the German shepherd. It is not a registry—dogs are registered through the American Kennel Club. As the parent breed club, it is the club that is recognized by the AKC. The GSDCA was formed in 1913 and was incorporated in 1916.

Working Dog Association

The Working Dog Association (WDA), founded in 1982, is an offshoot of the GSDCA. The purpose of the WDA is to promote the total dog: the German shepherd that can do it all—succeed in working trials as well as in the conformation ring. The WDA hosts Schutzhund trials, conformation shows, and breed surveys.

DVG-America

The Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine (DVG), or The German Club for the Working Sport Dog, was founded in Germany in 1947. The DVG is dedicated to the sport of Schutzhund and is not a registry. The branch of the DVG in the United States is called the DVG-America.

United Schutzhund Clubs of America

The United Schutzhund Clubs of America (USA) emphasizes the total, working German shepherd. It holds Schutzhund trials, conformation shows, and breed surveys. Both the GSDCA’s and the USA’s breed standards closely follow that of the SV.

The Pain of Popularity

The German shepherd continues to be one of the most popular purebreds in the United States. Because of movies featuring German shepherds in heroic roles, such as Strongheart and Rin Tin Tin, the breed has received enormous media attention. While